The consulting detective and his host
by TheSherlockedOtaku
Summary: The first chapter of a Sherlock fanfiction in progress. Post-richenbach. Sherlock, unable to go straight to John relies on an old friend to help him.
1. A friend in need

(wow I finally made a fanfic that wasn't a one shot, gasp! If there's people who want it, I'll continue this fic. Honestly, demand for it will be my only incentive to do so)

Sherlock watched from the distance as John walked away from the grave where he thought his friend was buried. After John had left the cemetery, he took his cell phone out of his pocket. He tried to think of someone he could talk to. Someone who could help him through this disaster. He then realized who the perfect person was

"Hello. We haven't talked in a while. I need someone to talk to and I know you'd be the right person at the moment - SH"

They arranged to meet up in private, late at night. He couldn't have anyone seeing him still alive. At least not yet. He went up to the door of the house and knocked. The distinct sound of high heels clicking against the floor grew louder as they came closer to the door. The door opened. "Why hello Sherlock." The familiar voice said to him. "Hello again." Sherlock repled. "Ms. Adler."

Irene led the way as she and Sherlock walked into the living room. "So Sherlock." Irene began. "How have you been?" "Dead, I'm afraid." Sherlock said. Irene chuckled a bit at Sherlocks response. "Yes I've been keeping up with the news lately." Irene said sardonically.

"But tell me this." She said, changing her tone to be more serious. "Why?" Sherlock paused. "I don't really feel like discussing that right now." Irene looked at him and smiled. "Well okay then, all in good time." Irene said, showing him into the guest room in her house. "I presume we'll have plenty of time for explanations."

"Of course Irene." Sherlock said as he settled into his room. "I will need to stay here for quite a while, if that's not a issue for you." Irene grinned. "Of course stay as long of you want." Sherlock hung his coat and scarf in the armoire in his room. "Oh and Irene, While I'm here please keep your... business quiet and to a minimum." Irene laughed. "You act like I have no hostessing skills Sherlock."

Sherlock flashed a quick smerk at his host. "Now, if you don't mind. I would like to get ready for bed. It is quite late." Irene nodded in agreement. "Goodnight, Sherlock Holmes." She said softly before leaving the room.

(hope you enjoyed it. Rate/review so I'll know if I should be writing a second chapter. Laters)


	2. The next morning

Sherlock looked around his room in his temporary home. Light from the sunrise came in through the window. He got up and walked into the living room. Irene was sitting in the living room. She looked up at him. "Hello Sherlock." She said. "How did you sleep?" Sherlock looked down at her. She was sitting on a chair in the room. Her robe was translucent at best, all too typical for her. "How did you sleep?" She proceeded to ask. "Oh I slept just fine." Sherlock replied to her. "You were never one to lie Sherlock." She said with a facial expression which said "did you really try to lie to _me?" _But it was true. Sherlock hadn't slept at all last night. He probably had slept a total of 7 hours since he faked his death. He just couldn't fall asleep. He just would think about John. How he felt. What he was doing. How he was dealing with it all. "Sherlock, please sit down. I want to talk." Sherlock agreed to her request.

"Tea?" She asked. "Alright." Sherlock responded. "What kind?" "Any kind will do. Surprise me." Irene left the room. When she came back, she placed the cup down by Sherlock and sat back in the chair. "So Sherlock, I've wanted to ask you, why you faked your own death like that." Sherlock looked down at the ground then up at Irene. He sighed and then began the story. "Jim Moriarty." The name caught Irenes attention. "He had convinced everyone that I was a fake. He made everyone think that I had created all the crimes I solved, that I had even created Moriarty. He created a false identity for himself, as an actor named Richard Brook." "And where did killing yourself play into it all?" "It was the final part of the story. He ruins me and then I kill myself." Irene looked at him processing the story.

"Why? Couldn't you just have refused?" Irene asked. "It wasn't that simple." Sherlock explained. "There were lives at stake. John's, Mrs. Hudson, Lestrade. He said there were assassins who would kill them if I didn't." Irene paused. "How di-." Irene began. But then she saw Sherlocks face. He didn't want to discuss it right now.

Irene went over to the couch and sat beside. "Sherlock, we'll talk more later." She smiled at him. Sherlock flashed a smile at her. "Irene, if you're going to try and 'comfort' me please put on less revealing clothing." "Of course." She said with a snicker, got up and went away for a few minutes. The outfit she had on now was a simple black dress, long sleeved and knee length. She sat back down where she was. "So Irene, what were you planning to do today?" "Nothing much, no appointments." Sherlock chuckled for a brief second. They looked out the large window in the room as the sun was still rising. Irene closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "Nice morning isn't it Sherlock?" She asked. "I suppose." They both stared out the window with the bright light coming through. Sherlock was looking at the colors lighting the morning sky when he felt something weird on his shoulder. He looked over. Irene had rested her head on Sherlocks shoulder. He wanted to protest her but decided it wasn't all that bothersome. Kind of relaxing actually.


	3. John

(Finally! The reason this took forever and a day to update was... Well I just wasn't getting any ideas. But now I'm good to go. So sit back, relax and enjoy chapter 3)

Sherlock was sitting down, looking out the window, when Irene walked into the room. She had been gone for hours. "Where were you ?" Sherlock asked. She didn't answer his question. Sherlock looked up at her, trying to figure out where she had been. Irene sighed. "If you must know." She said. There was a long pause before she finished her statement. "I was talking with John." Sherlocks eyes widened. "What did you say? You didn't tell him I was alive did you?" He asked. "Calm down. I wouldn't have told him you were alive." Irene assured him. "I just stopped in to see how he was doing. He was surprised to see me after such a long time." Sherlock sat back down. "So... How was he doing?" He asked. Irene didn't want to tell him. She knew the answer to his question would be like poison. But she also knew he wouldn't stop asking until she told him. "He was a mess." She finally said. "Still hasn't gotten over it, he told me." Sherlock looked down, upset at what he had just been told.

"And...what is he doing with himself?" He followed up. "Well. He's engaged actually." Irene told him. "Really? Sherlock asked. "To who?" "Her name is Mary." Irene said. Sherlock smiled. Such a foreign feeling to him. He hasn't smiled for quite some time. He was happy that John was engaged, and not spending his days mourning. "Did you meet her?" Sherlock asked Irene. "No. She wasn't there." Irene told him.

"At least he'll have someone in his life." Sherlock said. Irene sat down beside him. "You say that as if you're never going to see him again." She said. "Listen to me Sherlock, I will help you find a way back to him. A way to show him you're not dead." Sherlock was greatfull for her enthusiasm. "A way that he will be able to take in after such a long time of grieving." He said. Irene smiled at him. "Of course." She responded. "Thank you Irene." Sherlock said. "For helping me through all this." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before standing up. "Thank you Sherlock." She said. "For coming to me to help you."

(Okay hope you enjoyed this chapter after such a long break. Thanks for reading and tell me in a review what you want to see in this fic.)


	4. Irenes Plan

Irene burst into the room Sherlock was in. The sound of gunfire rang through the house. When she entered the room she saw Sherlock sitting on the couch shooting the wall. Irene stormed over and snatched the gun out of his hand. "What the bloody hell are you doing!?" She demanded. Sherlock sighed. "I'm bored. There are no cases to solve." "You're paying to fix the wall." Irene told him. "Where did you even get this?" "You really should try and hide your things better."

Irene tossed the gun aside and sat down beside Sherlock on the bed he was laying on. "Where were you then?" Sherlock asked. Irene had just been out for about an hour. Irene sighed. In all honesty, she had just talked to John. Sherlock took it well when he found out she was talking to John, but this was different. She told John that she would be back tomorrow, with an important surprise and nothing more than that. She was going to bring Sherlock was back to his friend.

Sherlock looked over at Irene and raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright?" Sherlock asked. Irene looked back at him and smiled. "Yes I'm fine." She said. "Sherlock? I want to tell you something and I want you to not get to upset." "Sure Irene." Sherlock said. What could she want to tell him that she thought he would get angry about it? "I was talking to John again." Irene began. "Yes?" Sherlock said. "Don't interrupt." Irene insisted. "I was talking to him and I told him that I was going to come back tomorrow with a _surprise."_

Sherlock immediately understood what she meant. "Why would you do that Irene? That was completely irrat-." Sherlock began. Before he could finish his statement Irene had met his lips with a kiss. When she was done she looked down at Sherlock with a smirk. "Sherlock, I love you." She said. "I want you to be happy, and clearly it's John that makes you so." Sherlock didn't want to admit it but it was true. Being with John did make him happy, solving crimes with him, living with him and just generally being with him.

Irene stood up. "So what do you say?" She asked. "Will you come with me tomorrow?" Sherlock smiled. "I'll come with you." Sherlock said. He stood up, standing beside the woman. They looked at each other before, in a surprising turn, Sherlock embraced Irene in a hug. Irene closed her eyes, smiling. It was unlike Sherlock to show affection, especially to someone like her, and she liked it. Before the separate, she felt Sherlock kiss her cheek and simply whisper "thank you Ms. Adler."

**Yes this is going to be a short fic, sorry. So join me for the next chapter, in the final chapter.**


	5. coming home (final)

John Watson walked in to the living room of 221b Baker Street with two cups of tea. One for him and one for his guest, Irene Adler. He presented her with the cup and sat down. "Um… Irene." John began, nervously. "Yes, what is it John?" She asked. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you." He continued. Irene nodded, signaling for John to spit it out. "Well…why have you been coming around here lately?" He finally asked. Irene was not expecting that.

"Wh-what do you mean John?" She replied. "Well, with Sherlock being…" John said, clearing his throat before continuing. "Dead. I mean, why have you been visiting me. I thought you never really cared about me." Irene paused. "John." She began. "Sherlock was very important to both of us, that can't be denied. So…in times like this, mourners tend to console _each other_." John looked at the woman with a raised eyebrow. Irene could tell he didn't buy her answer, at least not 100 percent.

There was an awkward silence. When he got back, he noticed Irene was sitting back down. "Where did you go?" He asked. "Oh…um, just the washroom." She replied, unconvincingly. John sighed. "Alright John!" Irene said, with purpose. He looked up at her. Irene sighed and clenched her fist before continuing. "There is something I have been meaning to tell you, and it was decided today was finally the right day.

John looked at her, more confused than he ever had in this entire conversation. "Sherlock Holmes. You said, you watched him die." John looked at her shocked. "Ye-yes, I watched him plummet off a building, thank you for that!" He said, bitterly. She put her hand on his to calm him down. "Well, I have some…very important news for you." She got up and walked to the front door. She came back and sat down again.

Footsteps walked into the living room. John looked up to see who joined them in the house. There was no sound throughout the entire flat, except for the sound of John Watson dropping his cup of tea in pure shock.

"_Hello John."_


End file.
